Shadow Cursed
by pathtales
Summary: BEING COMPLETELY REWRITTEN, will be back in a few days. Core image by me
1. Chapter 1

"Dad! I'm home!" I called as I walked through the front door. "Mom will be home in an hour or so!"

"Great." I heard him sigh as he walked in to see me relatively fine, but a few new bruises very visible. "How did it go?"

"Fine." I shrugged. I winced as I accidentally brushed my knee against the coffee table. "Any thing interesting happen here?"

"Not really." My dad shrugged as he sat down beside me. "A few robberies an a mugging, nothing special."

"Well that took less time than I thought." My mom said as she came through the door. "Hey honey." She kissed my dad and I rolled my eyes.

"Hey Jade, I was just asking Lian about the mission."

"Just some drug dealers that needed a good talking too." She shrugged as she plopped down on the other side of him. "Your little Arowette is still fighting for good."

"Mom." I groaned. "Not in civvies."

"We're both still dressed." She smirked and I glared. "Tigress."

"Mom!" I groaned. "I know what your doing, and I still have a week until I turn 13, so leave me alone!" I stomped off and slammed my door shut. We were having a nice time until just now.

I have a weird family. I know every one thinks it, but I really did. By day my parents were Jade and Roy Harper; by night my mother was the League of Shadow's assassin and my father was the super hero Red Arrow. To make things worse my dad was actually the clone of another hero, my Uncle Roy. Yeah, weird.

Both my parents have been training me and they decided to let me choose my own course. I could stay a civilian, join the Shadows, or be a sidekick.

Civilian was not an option for me. I was too active for that. But I honestly couldn't decide on the other two. I went in my Aunt's old outfit, Tigress, with my mom on missions and I had a costume of my own as Arrowette when I was out with my dad.

I turned 13 in a week and that's when I needed to decide. Boy this was hard.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Are you sure?" My dad asked in shock. I nodded and my mother smiled.

"See, I told you she would choose to be a hero." She hugged me tightly.

"Mom!" I giggled. "You'd think you would want me to join the shadows."

"I wouldn't mind it." She said as she released me. "But you have a good heart."

"Thanks." I smiled back.

"Well, this is going to be fun." My dad finally smirked. "Well, good timing because Batman needs us to help him out in Gotham."

"Awesome." I smiled.

Later that night we got to the meeting site and saw Batman and Robin coming up to us.

"Hey Arrowette." Batman grinned knowingly. "Hey Bats!" I smiled. Yeah, I was on friendly terms with Batman, be jealous. He was the first Robin and now he was Batman? I could almost see me now as Red Arrow, along the line of course.

"Who are you?" The bratty kid next to him asked.

"I'm Red Arrow's sidekick." I stated. This was my first time meeting Robin and I wasn't impressed. All I knew about him was that he was the son of the old Batman, who's actually not that old, but he's retired to do more behind the scenes work.

"Arrowette?" He scoffed. "We don't need their help."

"Robin." Batman sighed. "Chill little man. Red here has a lot of experience with Cadmus and Arsenal is off with Jason doing who knows what. We could use the help."

"Fine." He snarled.

Five years later:

I slipped along roof tops of Gotham as silent as I could as I reached a vantage spot to watch the Gotham Museum of History. They were unloading a new exhibit with priceless artifacts, and I knew the villain I'd been tracking would be here.

I saw the purple light I had gotten to know and slipped through security to follow him.

I saw the blue boy reach for a golden rod and I took the chance to shoot an arrow that knocked it out of it's reach. The alarm immediately went off and he turned to face me.

"You!" He snarled.

"Me." I smirked as I rushed him. He sent magical blasts at me as I dodged them with perfection and grace.

"Hold still!" He growled at me and I let out a hardy laugh.

"Come and make me." I taunted.

Suddenly I heard a thump as another person entered the scene. I saw a tall man in grey and blue and groaned.

"Nightwing, nice to see you." I said dryly as we both dodged the magical attacks.

"Red Arrow." He growled. "What the hell are you doing in Gotham fighting Klarion of all people?"

"Katnis over there has been following me all over." Klarion yelled back as he dodged the pellets thrown by Nightwing.

Nightwing and I made eye contact and nodded, not having to speak a word. I immediately jumped up and let out three arrows that exploded around Klarion as Nightwing immediately went for Kiko, his cat.

"This isn't over!" Klarion said as he vanished quickly.

Nightwing went to disable the alarm and I saw the police had arrived and were watching us.

"He didn't get anything." I told them as they put their guns away. Nightwing nodded at me and we quickly left. Three roof tops over, however, he rounded on me.

"What was that Lian?" He yelled.

"That was me trying to stop Klarion!" I hollered back.

"From what?" He sighed, knowing he would never win an argument against me. We had worked together before, never of our own free will, and I was actually more stubborn than him.

"I don't know." I admitted. Damian was an ass, but a smart one. "But there is a pattern of things he is stealing."

"What is it that's here?" He asked.

"A golden rod from England, king author days and such." I told him quickly.

"What else has he been stealing?"

"He's stolen a ceramic Greek rod from a museum in Star City, an ancient Celtic spear from San Diego, and he barely got away with an antique French sword in Metropolis." I told him quickly.

"So he'll try to get this again?" He asked.

"Undoubtedly." I nodded.

"Great." He sighed.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Not you brats again!" Klarion screamed at us the next night. "Fine, I'm not even going to play this time! I'll just go get something else!"

"Well that was anticlimactic." I drawled as Damian sent a glare at me.

"What does that mean?" He asked. "How did you figure out this location? I could use that to find where he will be going next."

"You?" I asked incredulously. "This is my case."

"Yeah, but me being here kept him from actually getting anything." He glared back.

"Fine." I said in defeat. "You can tag along." Took my holographic wrist computer and pulled up a map with blinking red dots. "I put a trace on him, but it only works when he's in our world. The dots are where he pops up and he always shows up in a place a day before making a move to locate whatever it is' exact location."

"So we watch." He said. "You can stay at the manor again tonight."

"Thanks." I said as we headed back.

"Hey Lian." Dick smiled as I walked down from the guest room to get breakfast.

"Hello." I said with a yawn.

"Heard you and D were working together." He smirked.

"Well, he's involved now so yeah." I shrugged.

"Well you two always worked so well together when your father and I helped each other out" he continued when his wife slapped him. "Babs!"

"I know what you're doing." She hissed. "Stop."

"I'm not doing anything." He protested with a wink and I shuddered. I've never been the center of a Dick Grayson plan, but I've seen plenty to know I was in trouble.

Suddenly Damian walked in and saw me. "A new dot just appeared." He said. "And it's in Central City."

"That means we have to talk to… Crap." I said as I stood up with another yawn. "I'll get my gear."

"Are you two leaving already?" Dick asked. "So eager to get on with your mission?"

"Of course." Damian said slowly, knowing when his troll of an older brother was up to something.

"Well go on then." He shooed them out. I faintly heard something about my Uncle Wally and Aunt Artemis and Barbra laughing but I decided to ignore it. There was trouble I had to prepare for.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I've been really sick! But much quicker updates WILL bee coming :)

Ch.2

Damian's POV

"Do we really have to do this?" Lian whined as I flew the Batjet I 'borrowed' from Dick.

"Yes." I answered flatly.

"How can you not be affected by this?" She asked in shock. "We are going to have to face my cousins."

"We?" I asked and raised an eyebrow, finally looking at her.

"Yes, we." She scowled and brushed one of the black locks out of her face.

"Look, I don't know why you're so upset," I shrugged, trying not to laugh at her. "Unless there's something you're not telling me."

"We left the team!" She exclaimed and again I had to try not to laugh at her, I loved getting her frustrated.

"No, I left the team and then you did." I paused. "Why did you leave?"

"That's my business." She shrugged and looked away. I decided I'd have to figure that out later. "Why did you leave?"

"That's my business." I countered with a frown.

"Whatever." She shrugged. The rest of the trip went by in silence until we got in range.

"Hey Batjet, what's happen'?" came a voice over the com. Lian switched the screen on to see the Flash grinning at us.

"Hey Uncle Wally, I guess Dick told you we were on the way?" Lian smiled.

"Yep, Artemis is already prepping the guest room." He grinned.

"Um, actually I was going to stay at my dad's place here." Lian blushed and Wally frowned.

"You are going to have to talk to Iris and Barry at some point." He pointed out and Lian lowered her head. I kept the surprise off my face at seeing her reaction.

"We do have a lot of work to be done." I piped in. "But if you and Artemis would like we can come for dinner."

"That sounds good." Wally smiled. "See you guys at 5pm sharp."

"Done." Lian said before promptly turning off the cable. I didn't chance a look at her but I could imagine her brown eyes expressing every emotion she was feeling. She was almost too easy to read, something that was not good for our line of work.

"So where are we parking?" I asked and she simply flipped controls to her and I shrugged allowing her to. We parked in camo mood on an apartment building and she let herself in with an iris ID.

"Guest override, temporary access with me." She told the computer.

"Scanning. Damian Wayne, Nightwing." The computerized voice said.

"Well that's not creepy." I muttered making her laugh.

"You don't think the Batfam is the only ones with computer savy, do you?"

"Apparently not." I narrowed my eyes.

"There are two rooms for every safe house, so you can have the one over there." She pointed and I nodded, putting my stuff in the room. I was surprised how… plain the place was. I guess they didn't use this place much.

"Hey, how often do you use this place?" I asked and she looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Pretty often." She shrugged. "I may be avoiding my cousins but I help Uncle Wally out a bit so I'm usually here for a few nights a month."

"Where do you usually stay?" I asked, not sure why.

"What do you mean?" She looked confused again.

"Like, where do you spend most of your time?" I asked, not sure why I was so curious.

"Um." She faltered. "I don't really. I just kind of go where I'm needed." I simply nodded and sat on the couch flipping up my holo-com. Lian's phone rang and she disappeared into her room for an hour and a half. I wasn't paying attention when she came out.

"Hey, change of plans, we are going to a fancy dinner instead, uncle Wally has a suite for you at his house. Let's go."

"Alright." I shrugged and paused when I saw her. Her hair was down, which I'd only seen like three times before, and she was wearing a sleeveless emerald green evening gown. "Wow."

"What?" She asked, looking at her gown. "Oh, this. I have a ton here, it's not infrequent that I have to go to something with Aunty A and Uncle Wally."

"Um, ok." I shook my head and we took a rental car that had appeared to the West's house.

"Perfect timing!" Wally opened the door and grabbed me roughly by the collar. "Get dressed."

I forgot how blunt Wally was. He was Dick's best friend and kinda like an older brother as well.

"So, I only really need Lian, but since you're here why not dress you up too?" He laughed and I shook my head as I dressed quickly.

"Am I suppose to be her date or what?" I asked and Wally laughed.

"Oh, hell no." He laughed. "She needs to be single."

"And you win the worst Uncle Award." Artemis said, coming in to check on us.

"Wait…" I grinned. "You have her flirt with a contact?"

"So?" Lian said walking in. "I don't mind."

"Sorry, I just don't see you as much of a flirt." I laughed and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Well you're not exactly prince charming." She stormed out and Artemis started laughing hysterically.

"Oh, Babs was so right." And she left before I could question it.

A few hours later we were at the dinner party and things were going smoothly. It was well known Wally and Dick were close friends in the public eye so my visiting was easily brushed aside. Lian of course was a regular fixture here and I was trying to keep an eye on her to see who she was flirting with, but I saw her disappear with a pretty red-head I identified as the Mayor's daughter. Curious, I did a walk about the room to try and find her, but I was not expecting to find her and the red-head kissing on the balcony in a dark corner and whispering.

I, Damian Wayne, have just been caught off guard for the first time in my life.


	3. Chapter 3

Lian POV

"Are you sure you have to leave?" Jessica asked and I kissed her lightly. "Yeah, I do. Don't want your girlfriend getting suspicious."

"You don't come around enough for her to." She pouted and I smiled sadly. "I work for my grandfather and I'm usually too busy for my own good."

"You work to hard." She grinned. "Let me at least give you a message."

"As tempting as that is I have an early morning." I frowned. "But I might be in town a few more days. I'll call you."

"You better." She grinned. I finished dressing in casual clothes I 'barrowed' from her and quickly made it back to my apartment where Wally had let Damian in. I was surprised to see him up and watching TV.

"Oh." He said seeing me. "Hey."

"Hi." I said as I plopped next to him, noticing him tense slightly. "Whatcha watchin?"

"Um, MTV true life Gotham." He shrugged.

"Isn't that your every day life?" I laughed and he scowled.

"It's a commercial in Animal Planet." He shot back, making me laugh some more. "So did you get your, erm, information?"

"Yes." I shrugged. "Just making sure the mayor is still supporting Aunty A's policies and such." My aunt wasn't retired from superheroeing, but she was also in the local city council.

"Ahh." He said.

"What, don't tell me mister play boy disapproves of this?" I asked and he scowled.

"What I do is my own business." He replied shortly.

"And what I do is mine." I shot back.

"Though I will admit, I never knew you were gay." He said and I paused.

"I'm not gay." I said with a frown and he looked at me with a confused look, the first time I'd ever seen that on him.

"You just got back from sleeping with another female." He said slowly.

"So?" I shrugged. "I'm not a lesbian if that's what your implying. And I'm not Bi either."

All he could do was stare and I laughed.

"I'm pan sexual." I explained, trying not to laugh. "I don't see gender, only the individual."

"Um, ok." Damian replied, going silent.

"You're freaking." I stated and he shook his head.

"No, just digesting." He assured me, one of the rare times I saw emotion from him.

"Why are you so concerned?" I asked and he glared at me.

"I'm Nightwing." He said simply. "I'm suppose to be able to read everyone but this totally blind sided me."

"If it makes you feel better it also blind sided my parents." I tried to joke.

"Look, I get it." He said. "And I'm cool with it! I'm just surprised I didn't know sooner."

"Well it's not like I flaunted it way back when we were still teens." I shrugged. "I was more focused on the whole Super hero thing than flirting."

"True, you were probably the only one besides me that never mentioned their dating life." He shrugged.

"But we all new from the tabloids." I smirked and he scowled.

"I was Bruce Wayne's son." He said. "I love my dad, but I was in his shadow. People expected me to be like him in that way and I kind of went with it."

"Like it was so hard having every hot girl throwing themselves at you." I joked and he actually smirked.

"True." He said and I looked at him in shock.

"Did I just make the infamous Nightwing laugh?" And he scowled once again.

"We were actually getting along for a second, don't ruin it." He replied. We sat in a comfortable silence for a moment before another beep came from my holo map.

"Shit, he's moved." I groaned.

"Where?" Damian asked, then groaned as well.

The next morning after I gave my report to Wally, we set out again.

"I hate England." I muttered and Damian looked at me with a scandalized face.

"Who hates England?"

"The girl who's English prick of a boyfriend cheated on her." I scowled.

"But England gave us Sherlock, and Doctor Who, and Alfred!" He said and I looked at him as if he had two heads.

"You really like England, huh?" I asked an he actually blushed.

"I've always found it a tad interesting is all." He replied shortly.

"Yeah, sure." I shook my head. "Anyway, I'm taking a nap."

"Oh god no." He whined and I glared.

"What?" I asked.

"You still talk in your sleep." He grimaced.

"Yeah, so." I shrugged. "I've heard the recordings, it's always jibberish. Remember when Barry recorded me singing Tik Tok in my sleep? Or the time you recorded me talking about how Japan Disney world should come with triplet tractors?"

"Oh, yes, yes I do." He laughed and I scowled this time.

"Scew you." I snapped. I huffed and fell into a comfortable sleep, waiting for the next day.


	4. Chapter 4

I PROMISE I'M WORKING ON IT BUT ITS FINALS WEEK AND ADVANCED ORGANIC CHEM IS KILLING ME I SHOULD HAVE NEVER TAKEN A 400 LEVEL LASS I'M A SOPHOMORE IS COLLEGE HELP!

But for real, give me one more week then it's summer vacation so WOOT!


End file.
